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I wish you peace

by Paul Dunmall Moksha Big Band
Cuneiform Records, Silver Springs, MD, 2004
Audio CD (53’51"), Rune 203, $ N/A
Distributor’s website:
http://cuneiformrecords.com/.

Reviewed by Stefaan Van Ryssen
Hogeschool Gent
Jan Delvinlaan 115, 9000 Gent, Belgium

stefaan.vanryssen@pandora.be


One of the big names on the UK jazz scene gave himself a 50th birthday present — with a little help from BBC3 and his friends. Gathering his accomplices from the Mujicians Quartet and some other musicians he had been playing with over the years, tenor saxophonist Paul Dunmall had a 15-person big band at his disposal for the creation of a three piece suite. At first, it should have been something of a celebratory composition, but as the composer and bandleader says in the liner, the events of the Iraq war could not be forgotten, and the overall atmosphere of the composition shifted to a more meditative or at least introspective mood. So far for the title and the background.

As for the music, "I wish you peace" could be categorised under free or improvisational jazz for big band. Knowing that only big bands that have been playing and practising together for a long time can get away with a really free setup and because this was basically a new line-up Dunmall chose to keep a short rein and let the band improvise only in a few sections. The final result is an orchestra that has no real spirit of its own, apart maybe from the more or less characteristic sound. Although the individual musicians are absolute experts, one can feel that they were conducted through the piece rather than listening and responding to each other. Only at times, when Paul Dunmall is conversing with one or two of his companions is there some kind of interaction, and even then it is mostly predictable. No electricity at this birthday party. Moreover, the balance between the tenor and the band is far too much in favour of the first, so you get the impression that there is someone ‘blowing a horn’ right next to your right ear while a band is playing somewhere in the background. All very nice for the birthday boy, but I’m afraid that’s about it.

By the way, the ‘Mokscha’ in the name of the band comes from Hindi (‘Hindu’, according to Dunmall in the booklet) and means "the supreme final liberation of the soul". Suit yourself.

 

 




Updated 1st November 2005


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